Basic Money Saving Tips

Hi everyone!
So many new people have subscribed to this e-newsletter lately, that I thought this week I'd pass along some basic money-saving tips we should all live by:
• Spend less money than you earn. duh!
* Have realistic expectations.
* Maintain spotless credit. Pay your bills in full and on
time.
* Diversify your investments.
• Look for a higher paying job or acquire skills so you're worth more.
• Create a financial budget to help you save.
• Only use credit cards if you can pay them off in full each month.
• Stop purchasing frivolous, impulse items.
• Refinance your mortgage or debt at a lower rate.
• Refinance your car loan at a lower interest rate.
• Find cheaper insurance rates for heath, life, and auto.
• Use coupons to shop.
• Wait for things to go on sale before buying them.
• Don't buy anything just because it is on sale.
• Buy generic, or non-name brand merchandise when you can.
• Drive used cars.
• Don't eat out as much as you'd like to.
• Do more activities at home.
• Invest the money you save so that it earns money too.
• Create a plan to save $100 per month (or as much as you can swing). .
• Don't ever spend money just because you have it.
• Stay busy - you have less time to spend money!
• Find an inexpensive hobby to occupy your time and stop you from spending
money.
• Find a hobby that you can earn money doing.
• Go on a diet and lose weight Not only do you save money on food, look and
feel
better, but your long term healthcare costs should also fall dramatically.
• Learn how to manage your finances by reading financial publications.
• Increase the money you earn (second job, promotion, new job, investments,
etc.)
• Don't try to compete with your friends and neighbors.
• Don't try to compare yourself to your friends and neighbors.
• Contribute the maximum each year to your 401K or to an IRA.
• Buy Dental Insurance before you need it.
• Buy Health Insurance before you need it.
• Remember, paying down debt is also a way to save money (it saves you from
a debt
payment and gets you closer to having money to invest).
• Lower your phone bill.
• Lower your cable bill by ending pay channels or switching to satellite.
• Practice restraint.
• Be patient.
• Start saving money today!
• Don't give up!
A final word about credit cards today..
www.cardweb.com recently learned the highest interest rates from the ten largest credit card companies. These are the rates companies impose based on "cross default clauses." Cross default clauses are any negative marks on your credit report that allow credit card companies to raise your interest rate. Here are the rates: Chase – 30%; Citibank – 30%; Bank of America – 30%; MBNA – 20%; Discover – 26%; Capital One – 27%; American Express – 28%; HSBC – 28%; Providian – 30% and Wells Fargo – 24%. So, if you have a credit card with one of these cards and you carry a balance, you run the risk of paying a 30 percent interest rate. In addition, there is no appeals process to the cross default clauses. If it’s an error on your credit report, credit card companies don’t care. They can still charge that rate. The only power you have is to pay your bills in full and on time. If you do that, you will never be charged these exorbitant rates.

Lastly, if you live near Carlsbad, CA and you're interested in a free black, wrought-iron bunk bed call Raquel at 760-603-8259. It's the kind with a twin mattress on top and a full futon on the bottom that converts from flat to couch style. The bottom part of the iron is curved (not supposed to be) so works best in a couch position. Futon is teal colored.
Ok doky,
Have a GREAT day!
CENTSerely,
Sister Thrifty